Diego Rivera
Diego Rivera
Diego María de la Concepción Juan Nepomuceno Estanislao de la Rivera y Barrientos Acosta y Rodríguez, known as Diego Riverawas a prominent Mexican painter. His large frescoes helped establish the Mexican Mural Movement in Mexican art. Between 1922 and 1953, Rivera painted murals among others in Mexico City, Chapingo, Cuernavaca, San Francisco, Detroit, and New York City. In 1931, a retrospective exhibition of his works was held at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Rivera had a...
NationalityMexican
ProfessionPainter
Date of Birth8 December 1886
CityGuanajuato, Mexico
CountryMexico
The rôle of the artist is that of a soldier of the revolution.
An artist is above all a human being, profoundly human to the core. If the artist can't feel everything that humanity feels, if the artist isn't capable of loving until he forgets himself and sacrifices himself if necessary, if he won't put down his magic brush and head the fight against the oppressor, then he isn't a great artist.
Looking back upon my work today, I think the best I have done grew out of things deeply felt, the worst from a pride in mere talent.
As an artist I have always tried to be faithful to my vision of life, and I have frequently been in conflict with those who wanted me to paint not what I saw but what they wished me to see.
I've never believed in God, but I believe in Picasso.
To be an artist, one must . . . never shirk from the truth as he understands it, never withdraw from life
All art is propaganda. ... The only difference is the kind of propaganda. Since art is essential for human life, it can't just belong to the few. Art is the universal language, and it belongs to all mankind. All painters have been propagandists or else they have not been painters. ... Every artist who has been worth anything in art has been such a propagandist. ... Every strong artist has been a propagandist. I want to be a propagandist and I want to be nothing else. ... I want to use my art as a weapon.
What do you mean the banks of the river?. Are/ you the banks of Diego Rivera? I will be/ remembered throughout history and already my/ little Frida has forgotten.... Who first put a/ paint brush in your hand? ... And now you/ have become the banks to contain me? No,/ Frida, you have forgotten the real truth. You/ are a stone in the mighty river. A lovely/ speckled stone.